Destiny and Hope
by littlemsstrawberry
Summary: Post GSD. What is going on between Athrun and Cagalli? Only one girl can help them now that's for sure. But who is she? Why is she helping them? Will she be able to make it especially since her time is running out? COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

This is my first fanfic! Please don't flame me! I don't mind constructive criticism. Please review! I need your help! This story is based on ideas I picked up along the way. I'm not that creative… Please review! I appreciate it! And please overlook my english errors.

Disclaimer: I do not own gundam seed.

Summary: Post GSD. What is going on between Athrun and Cagalli? Only one girl can help them now that's for sure. But who is she? Why is she helping them? Will she be able to make it especially since her time is running out?

Chapter 1

A few months after the second bloody valentine war…

A blond hair girl was waiting outside the admiral's office, tapping her fingers on the arm rest of the couch showing her obvious impatience- a trait inherited from her mother. She had been waiting there for nearly two hours. About to explode and unable to wait any longer, she was finally called in.

"Hello Admiral Zala. I'm Ashley Hale, your new assistant. It's a real pleasure and honour to meet you and to be at your command," she said while trying to hide her annoyance for the long wait.

Athrun looked up from his desk, only to meet the same emerald green eyes he had seen his whole life.

After a momentary pause, Athrun snapped out of his trans and replied, "Sorry for the long wait. It's a pleasure to meet you too Ashley. You can start helping clear and arrange these files. Your desk is right outside."

Taking the files, Ashley bowed curtly and left the room.

Ashley stared at the stack of files in front of her. It was going to be a hell of a long day for her. She hated paper work. She sighed as she recalled the series of events that lead her to this torture.

_Flashback: "Ashley you have to go back! You know very well what might happen if you don't! You have to make sure nothing goes wrong. You're the only one who can do it. I've already made the arrangements. I have done all I can. The rest is up to you now."_

Coming back to the present, Ashley sighed once more before starting to clear her pile of work.

At exactly one thirty, Ashley knocked on his door.

"Come in."

"Sir, it's already one thirty, you have not had your lunch yet."

"Oh I'm so sorry Ashley. I guess I lost track of time. Please go ahead and have your lunch first."

"Sir, I insist on you having lunch with me now. It is part of my job to make sure you eat your meals regularly. And I take pride in doing my job well."

Ashley knew that both her parents often skipped meals due to their hectic work schedule. She now made it her personal motto to ensure at least one of them takes their meals on time.

"Alright then, if you put it that way," Athrun sighed as he stood up, "Do you like Kebabs Ashley? I know the just the place for it."

"Of course, it's my favourite food in the world!" Ashley exclaimed.

At the restaurant...

"Squirt!" Ashley covered her kebabs entirely with chilli sauce.

All of a sudden, Athrun burst out laughing.

"What is so funny?" Ashley glared at him. If looks could kill, Athrun would have died a hundred and one deaths.

Finally composing himself, Athrun replied, "You know, normal people usually put yogurt sauce."

"Are you saying that I'm abnormal?"

"N...No. Of course not, I meant people normally put yogurt sauce. You remind me of Cagalli. She too adds loads of chilli sauce to her kebabs," Athrun smiled.

To be continued…

Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

Please review! I need to know how I can improve!

Disclaimer: I do not own gundam seed.

Note : **Words in italics here are the thoughts of Ashley. **

Chapter 2

**Back at the office…**

It had been a few hours since they came back for lunch which Ashley felt like an eternity due to the never ending paperwork.

It was close to 7.30 pm when a woman with hot pink hair tied up in two ponytails entered the office wearing a pair of mini denim shorts and red polka dotted blouse.

Ashley immediately recognised her as the wicked witch of the west. Or so she heard.

"_Crap! What is SHE doing here? If only I had my gun here, I can… Oh wait; I do have my gun here! No, what am I thinking? How can I have such evil thoughts? Damn it! SHE's bringing out the worse in me!" Ashley screamed inside her head._

As if oblivious to the death glares Ashley had been sending her, she walked over to Ashley's desk, "Hello is Athrun busy? We're supposed to have dinner together," the woman said so innocently that Ashley wanted to hurl.

Just then, Athrun came out of his room. "Oh Meyrin, what brings you here?"

"You did not forget our dinner plans didn't you?" Meyrin pouted.

"_Eww! Gross! I can't believe she just tried to act cute! Why that witch!" Ashley thought in disgust. "Oh great, SHE just made my life a whole lot easier. Sigh. I have to do something. I can't let them go out for dinner together ALONE._

"Oh, right," Athrun replied reluctantly. Now turning to Ashley, Athrun continued, "Ashley, are you free now? Why don't you have dinner with us? Take it as your welcome-to-your-first-day-of-work treat."

"Sure! How can I refuse?" Ashley smiled at Athrun while taking a quick glance at Meyrin's disappointment.

"_Whew! That was a close call! Thank goodness!"Ashley thought. _

**At the restaurant…**

"So Ashley, tell me more about yourself. Do you have any siblings?" Athrun asked.

"Nope, it's just me, myself and I. Haha. I'm the only child."

"Me too. It gets kinda lonely doesn't it."

"Yeah."

"Are your parents here in orb too? What do they work as?"

Ashley didn't want to lie. So she said "Yeah. They are civil servants." This was true although she gave no further details about them.

The dinner continued on with Athrun and Ashley talking about books, literature and so on. They had a lot of common interest. He found it very easy to talk to her. They were also oblivious to the miserable Meyrin who was excluded from practically all of their conversation, seeing that she only knew how to talk about work and fashion.

The dinner ended with Athrun sending the girls back to their apartments before going back to his own. Even in the car, Athrun and Ashley had endless things to talk about. Even though Meyrin was sitting in front at the passanger seat, she was still ostracised from the duo.

Ashley's apartment was directly opposite Athrun's. So Athrun offered to send her to and fro work everyday since they lived so near each other.

Athrun had been living in an apartment alone ever since he returned to orb after the war. He wanted to patch things up with Cagalli but found it very hard to do so especially with Meyrin hanging around him all the time and Cagalli's busy work schedule. He also figured that rushing will not be the best for now, so he waited, bidding his time.

**In Ashley's apartment…**

Ashley was on her bed, holding on to a very sophisticated looking mobile device. The mobile device produced some sort of hologram screen in mid air. Typing on the device, the screen showed:

**ID: Ashley Zala**

**Password: xxxxxx**

**Message: Phase 1 completed **

To be continued…

What do you think? Please review!


	3. Chapter 3

Hello! Thank you so much for reviewing! I hope I can pull this story off and not disappoint you! I'll try my best to update as soon as possible and make it longer too. Please continue reviewing! Thank you!

**Dedications: **Byron Lancaster, Dhevz.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own gundam seed.

**Note: **The words in _italics_ here are flashbacks.

Chapter 3

Many weeks had passed since Ashley became Athrun's assistant and Athrun grew really fond of her. He had an unexplainable bond with her, which was nothing he had ever experienced before. To Athrun, Ashley was like a daughter he never had (he completely had no idea).

Going to Athrun's apartment now became a norm for Ashley. She would go over for meals, to borrow books, or sometimes just to annoy the hell out of Athrun as she was really bored.

Ashley's presence also helped sooth the uneasiness Athrun felt whenever Meyrin came over. To Meyrin's dismay, Athrun would always invite Ashley over whenever Meyrin decides to drop by.

So far, there was no progress between him and Cagalli. Fortunately, Kira and Lacus were coming over from the Plants next week for a visit. Kira, the over-protective brother, was getting restless, not seeing his dear twin for so long. You see, Kira would never had gone with Lacus to the Plants had Cagalli not kicked him out of Orb.

Athrun wanted to use that opportunity to patch things up with Cagalli. He had only one obstacle though, and that was Meyrin. He was afraid of Meyrin ruining everything, just as she did the last time.

_Flashback:_

"_Athrun, is everything okay? You can't fool me you know… " the pink candy floss coloured hair girl asked the frowning Athrun._

"_Sigh, what can I say Lacus. I don't understand Cagalli. She's been giving me the cold shoulder recently. I thought everything was fine between us, but now I'm not so sure anymore…"_

"_Are you playing dumb Athrun? Or are you really that stupid?" Kira suddenly appeared and cut him off._

"_Kira," Lacus spoke up._

_Ignoring her, Kira continued, "If you haven't noticed, you have been frequently hanging around Meyrin recently."_

"_What does Meyrin have to do with this? She and I are just friends!"_

"_Is that so? Do you really think she feels the same way towards you? Geez Athrun! Even a blind man can see that she harbours feelings for you!"_

"_W…what, I… I… I didn't know," Athrun stammered, obviously shocked._

"_Of course you didn't know!" Kira snapped back, his face was flushed from anger. "Damn it Athrun! She's my only sister! I can't stand by and watch you hurt her! YOU of all people! And YOU are my best friend! I'm really disappointed in you Athrun."_

"_I'm sorry Kira. But I love her very much. You know that."_

"_What are you going to do about it now then huh?" _

"_Don't worry. I'm going to win her back. And I will not hurt her again. I promise you," Athrun said determinedly._

"_You better stick to your promise. If I see her cry again because of you, I swear, I will not hesitate to take your life. That, I promise you too," Kira warned him._

_End of flashback_

Athrun shuddered at that memory. He had not seen that murderous side of Kira ever since the First Bloody Valentine War, following Tolle's death. Thinking of the rough journey ahead, Athrun frowned even more.

As if sensing his dilemma, Ashley walked over and said, "Don't worry! I'll keep her occupied! Just enjoy your time with mum… Miss Cagalli!" Ashley bit her lip, cursing herself for being so careless and hoping that he did not hear her slip.

Fortunately for her, Athrun's mind was on another matter.

"H…how did you know about Ca…cagalli a…a…and meeeeeeee?" Athrun stammered, deeply alarmed.

Rolling her eyes, Ashley replied, "Oh please! Even a retard can tell you two love each other. Both of you are just too stubborn to do something about it, much less admit it! Besides, you ALWAYS talk about Cagalli. Cagalli this… Cagalli that…"

If it was possible to measure how much people blush, Athrun would have been in the Guinness World of Records.

Forcing out a cough, Athrun said, "Kira and Lacus are coming over next week. They're going to have a dinner party. I assume you'll be coming with me then?"

"Of course, you don't even have to ask! I would have probably self-invited myself anyway!" Ashley smiled back.

**A few days later...**

"Ding dong!" the bell chimed through the hallway of Athrun's apartment.

"Kira! Lacus! What are you doing here? I thought you guys are due only on the day after tomorrow!"

"Well, we decided to drop in earlier to find out what you've been up to lately," Kira said in a warning tone.

Athrun gulped. Apparently, Kira had not fully forgiven Athrun yet for what he had done.

"And of course, to catch up with you too, old friend!" Lacus interrupted. "Aren't you going to invite us in?"

"Umm yeah, sure. Come in," Athrun said.

**A while later…**

The two guys were in the study, engrossed in doing maintenance work on the troop of Haros. Just then, Lacus came in and asked, "Athrun, you ran out of potatoes. Where can I get some?" Lacus had insisted on making dinner.

"The super market is quite a distance from here. I'll call Ashley, my assistant. She lives on the opposite apartment. I'm sure she has some to spare," Athrun replied, reaching out for the phone.

Within a few minutes, Ashley arrived. Being Lacus, she invited Ashley to stay for dinner.

"There's something about this girl I just can't put my finger on. She some how feels very familiar, and looks familiar too. Have we possibly met before? I doubt so. She's too young. I must be thinking too much," Kira thought.

Kira was observing Ashley the whole time. There was something about her which he felt he couldn't ignore. He had to find out about her. There is more to this girl then meets the eye.

To be continued…

**Note: **The flashback where Meyrin was frequently hanging out with Athrun is actually the Final Plus part, at the Orb Memorial.

Please review! I want to know how many people are actually interested in my story. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up as I haven't even started on it yet. Hopefully in a week's time? Thanks anyway for reading and reviewing!


	4. Chapter 4

Hello! Thank you so much for reviews! Reviews help me improve my story so please continue to review! Descriptive writing's not really my forte but I'll try my best. Suggestions are always welcome! Please review! Thank you!

**Dedications: **Byron Lancaster, Dhevz (Thank you so much for your constant reviews)

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Gundam Seed

**Note:**

Chapter 4

A young man with spiky jet black hair entered the café, scanning the place for his friend, his ruby red eyes rested on the secluded corner of the café where the brunette sat on a leather chair.

"Sorry Kira, I couldn't find anything on her. It's as though she appeared out of thin air."

"Or she's just very good at concealing her real identity. Did you check the Plants' database too? She may have come from there and only moved to Orb later."

"Yes. Orb's, the Plants' and even the other earth colonies' databases. Don't ask how, but you name it, I've checked it. There are simply no records of her existence."

"This is not good. Athrun could be in danger. Thanks anyway Shinn for helping. I really appreciate it."

After the war, Shinn chose to remain in Orb and Athrun became his mentor. He had seen reason and had come to terms that Cagalli and Orb wasn't to blame for his family's death. He had even forgiven Kira for killing Stella. However, this was not so for Mwu, blaming him for her death. It wasn't easy for Shinn to not try to kill Mwu, but after seeing the man's guilt and remorse, he finally relented.

**Mean while…**

Ashley was at the Orb Mansion, running an errand for Athrun. As she entered the Mansion, she realised that the house was exactly the same. The two grand marble staircases were still plastered on the opposite ends of the vast hall. The giant French windows would light up the entire place during the day.

Suddenly, Ashley was overcome by nostalgia. She recalled the times when she would dance around the bare middle portion of the hall, which was only kept empty except for Christmas and parties where a one and a half story tall Christmas tree or ice sculpture would be placed. Her parents would embrace each other at the side, proudly watching their beautiful daughter twirl around, the giant crystal chandelier hanging above her.

The Orb Mansion was more of a palace; it had many beautiful well-maintained gardens and was divided into four sections, the North, South, East and West Wings. The North Wing was the main entrance where the hall was located. The West Wing garden in Ashley's opinion surpassed all the other gardens. This was her favourite sanctuary and much to her parents' horror, she would climb up and sit on a tree branch to watch the sunset. Not a morning person just like her mother, she would always miss the sunrise.

Absent mindedly making her way there, she looked over the swan lake. The shimmering smooth surface of the water was broken as four swans sailed around. Willow trees would line the edges of the lake, their drooping leaves touching the water. The white pavilion, sheltering the grand piano, stood firmly beside lake.

Ashley was a musical prodigy just like her father. She played the piano, the violin and the harp. Trailing her fingers along the keyboard, she gave in to the urge of playing. Before she knew it, she was immersed into her own world, hearing nothing but music.

Cagalli was walking past the West Wing when she heard the sound of the piano coming from the West Wing garden. Curious, Cagalli made her way there. The sweet melodies captivated Cagalli's heart and she moved closer to the pavilion where another blonde was playing.

The sudden sound of a twig breaking made Ashley alert and stopped playing. Snapping her head to the side, she was shocked to see Cagalli looking back at her.

"S…sorry, I…I didn't mean to play without per…permission," Ashley blushed as she stammered with her words.

"No it's alright, please keep on playing. That was beautiful. I hope you don't mind me listening," Cagalli smiled. "What's your name?"

"Ashley Hale my lady. Admiral Zala sent me here."

"Oh, I see. But please, call me Cagalli."

**At Ashley's apartment…**

Two young men were sneaking around. "Kira, this isn't right. Let's go back."

Ignoring him, Kira continued searching. Suddenly, an odd looking device caught his eye. Inching his way to the bedside table, Kira whispered, "Over here!"

Taking a quick scan on the device, Kira said, "I've never seen this model before."

"You better be careful Kira. You might trigger something on."

Smiling at his friend, Kira replied, "Don't worry."

Being an expert programmer, Kira was very good at handling computers and devices and after some time, he managed to get into the systems of the device. A screen was projected in midair showing:

**Hello Ashley Zala**

"I thought you told me you have no other living relatives."

"I don't."

"What? Then who is she?"

"I don't know. I guess there's only one way to find out."

Searching the contents of the device, both young men saw something that left them flabbergasted.

"No…It can't be!" both of them shouted at the same time.

Just then, the front door clicked open.

**To be continued…**

I think I've overdone describing the Orb mansion. I would have described every room but that would probably be boring. This is kind of my dream house. Hee hee. Anyway, I know this chapter is shorter than the last one but I'll try to make it up next chapter! Next chapter by the way will be on the party where Athrun and Cagalli will meet! Hopefully I can update it by next week! Please review!


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you once again for reviewing! Your reviews made me really happy! Please continue to review! And I hope this will answer your question(s), if you have any.

**Dedications **in alphabetical order**: a reader, Byron Lancaster, Dhevz, UnderProtection**

Chapter 5

Ashley was very happy for she had just spent quality time with her mother. Cagalli was so fond of Ashley that she invited Ashley to come by more often. And of course, Ashley couldn't refuse. Ashley was so happy that she came home not realising that she was not alone in her apartment.

Placing the keys on the cherry wood side table near the entrance, Ashley walked towards her bedroom. In her haste to go to work that morning, she had forgotten to take her mobile device with her. Nothing in the world prepared her for what happened next.

Upon entering her bedroom, she saw her father's and uncle's stunned faces, her uncle's palm laid HER mobile device.

Ashley gasped and before she knew it, a pair of emerald green eyes and a pair of purple eyes stared at her.

Both young men could not believe that the girl in front of them was Athrun's daughter and Kira's niece. It felt surreal to them.

Doing the first thing she thought of, she asked innocently, "Am I in trouble?"

"I am not sure yet. But YOU young lady have some explaining to do," Athrun said firmly.

Athrun used his authoritative voice at her. Signing in defeat, she took a deep breath before spilling everything.

"You see someone came to us and warned us that something might happen in the past and change my present! So I had no choice but to come here and make sure nothing goes wrong. Of course no one is supposed to find out who I really am because this might affect my present, which is your future. Please don't tell anyone! Especially mom! Who know what might happen! Oh gosh, I really messed up! I can't believe it!"

Ashley spoke so fast that Athrun and Kira would have problems understanding if not for their coordinator abilities.

"You're not born out of wedlock, aren't you?" Kira suddenly blurted out.

Athrun's eyes widened. "No. But if you actually meant to ask if my parents had premarital sex, from what I heard, no," Ashley smiled.

"Oh, sorry but I just wanted to make sure no one did anything **inappropriate**to **my sister**," Kira said turning to Athrun, emphasisng on those three words.

**At the orphanage (Cagalli's beach side villa) where the party was taking place…**

A few days had passed since Athrun and Kira saw pictures showing Ashley with a more mature looking Athrun and Cagalli inside. Both young men have been sworn to secrecy.

There was now a small private party going on. Everyone was gathered in the living room. However, Athrun was finding it very difficult to have a private moment with Cagalli, considering the fact that she had been trying to avoid him.

"OH MY GOSH! A ROACH! A ROACH!" Ashley screamed at the top of her lungs, jumping to the top of the maple coffee table at the same time.

"AHH! OH MY GOSH! WHERE? WHERE?" the twins shouted in unison, joining Ashley onto the coffee table.

It was a wonder that the coffee table didn't break, considering the three young people standing on top of it, clinging on to each other like koala bears.

"OH MY GOSH! IT'S COMING THIS WAY!"

"SOMEONE SAVE US!"

"HELP!"

"ATHRUN! DON'T JUST STAND THERE! DO SOMETHING!"

"I AM GOING TO DIE!"

So that was how the party started, with people running about chasing the cockroach, trying to get rid of it and saving the terrified trio standing on the coffee table.

After the cockroach fiasco, Cagalli walked out into the balcony, with Athrun trailing behind her.

"Cagalli please, we have to talk," Athrun begged.

"What is there to talk about?" she coldy replied.

"There is nothing going on between Meyrin and me. She's just a friend I'm indebted to. You're mistaken."

"Your business with Meyrin is not my concern. If you have nothing else to say, I'm going in now."

"You're jealous aren't you?" Athrun accused.

"What? T...that's absurd! I am NOT jealous!" Cagalli shouted defensively. The moonlight illuminated her face, letting Athrun see a change in the colour of her face.

"Yes you are!" Athrun smirked. He was clearly enjoying this.

"Am NOT!"

"Are so!"

"Am NOT!"

"Are so!"

"Am NOT!"

"Are so!"

"Am NOT! And there is nothing YOU can do about it!" Cagalli said, crossing her arms deviantly.

"Is that so?" Athrun replied. Crossing the distance between him and Cagalli with one stride, he forced her into a corner. Gripping her shoulders, he looked fiercely into her amber eyes.

Athrun was very scared deep within even though he showed no signs of weakness. His years in the military had trained him that and he was grateful for it. He had no idea how Cagalli would react. She was unpredictable. Would she punch him? Would she scream? He didn't know what she would do. He was breaking out in cold sweat and his palms were clammy and sticky. His heart was beating at bullet speed, but he knew what he had to do. There was no going back. It was either now or never.

Cagalli was no better, she was screaming inside her head. She was telling her body to move, to run away as she always did before. However, it was as though her body had a mind of its own. It refused to budge and stayed rooted to the spot. Her heart was pounding so hard she thought it was going to jump out from her chest. Those green eyes penetrated through her inner core, causing the walls she built around her to defend herself to collapse. She felt vulnerable again. Only he made her feel that way and she hated him for it.

It happened so fast. Before she knew it, her lips were covered with his. Cupping her face with his hands, he kissed her somewhat hungrily yet he was very gentle, his parting lips pressing softly into hers. Giving in to her desire, she kissed him back.

Not far from the snogging couple, three young people were watching them, taking cover behind the large maroon drapes. "Why, that bastard! How DARE he snog MY SI…mffft," Lacus put her hand over Kira's mouth, clamping it shut.

"Shhh! Now is not the time to become an over-protective brother! You have plenty of time for that later!" Lacus chided him as quietly as she could.

"Let's take him away from here! He's probably going to ruin this wonderful moment!" whispered Ashley.

Nodding in agreement, the two girls over-powered the ultimate coordinator and dragged him out of the room.

Athrun was overwhelmed with emotions. Cagalli had responded! Silver tears welled up in his emerald eyes, wrapping his arms around her, he whispered into her ear. "I love you Cagalli. You're the best thing that ever happened to me. I'm such a fool. Please give me another chance. Please don't leave me," Athrun said as the tears he tried so hard to hold just streamed non-stop down his beautiful pained face.

Looking back tenderly at Athrun, Cagalli replied, "You're so silly. My heart has never left you." Reaching out for the white gold chain than clung to her neck, she pulled out the delicate intricate ring, the ruby stone gleaming under the full moon. It was the very ring he gave her then.

Athrun was overjoyed. He had not expected Cagalli to have kept that ring. Planting one hand on the girl's soft silky blonde hair, he pulled Cagalli into another kiss, his tongue touching, swirling and teasing.

Much to their reluctance, they had to stop to catch their breath. Smiling at Athrun, Cagalli said as she motioned towards the balcony door, "We should get back in now. The others are probably waiting for us."

Unknown to any of them, someone was lurking in the shadows of the night, watching them. A new evil was rising, threatening to destroy everything…

**To be continued…**

Note: Remember one of the last episodes of gsd where Cagalli was seen not wearing the ring? In here, it was with her all along. She wore it in a chain. Athrun didn't know that till now.

I hope you like this chapter! I don't think my first few paragraphs were well written here, I wasn't sure how to go about it. But I think the subsequent paragraphs were much better. Please review! This story is probably ending soon. Tell me what you think please! I will probably update in one week's time, hopefully earlier but no guarantees. Please review!


	6. Chapter 6

Thank you so much for reviewing! Please continue to review! This fanfic is ending! One or two more chapters left! I hope I didn't drag the story too much and bore you. I hope you won't be disappointed! Please keep reviewing!

**Dedications **in alphabetical order**: a reader, Byron Lancaster, CagsZala, Dhevz, UnderProtection**

Chapter 6

"Do you, Athrun Zala, take this woman to be your wedded wife, in sickness and in health, for better or for worst, till death do you part?"

"I do," Athrun said in a loud firm voice.

"And do you, Cagalli Yula Athha, take this man to be your wedded husband, in sickness and in health, for better or for worst, till death do you part?"

"I do," Cagalli clearly replied.

"If there are any objections to the union of this couple, please speak now or forever hold your piece."

"Yes, I object!" the silence was broken when a woman's loud frilly voice echoed through the high ceilings of the cathedral.

Everyone gasped in horror. They wondered who had the guts to actually crash the wedding of the head representative of Orb to the very high ranking admiral official.

Turning their heads to where the voice came from, they saw a hot pink colored hair woman wearing a knee length peach dress with a cream cardigan and a pearl necklace. She was holding on to a gun. Raising it up and taking aim, she pulled the trigger.

Within a second, the terrified screams of the guests filled the cathedral. Everything was blurring for Ashley. She couldn't believe what just happened. Following the direction where the gun was aimed at, grief and anger took over her as she saw her father, clutching the wound on his chest where the bullet passed through, his once white suit now became crimson. Her mother was standing very still behind him, clearly in the state of shock.

"No!" Ashley shouted as she jolted upright. Tears were streaming down her pale face as she panted. Glancing at her surroundings, she realised she was in bed, at her apartment. Relief quickly flooded her as she told herself, "It's alright Ashley. It's just a nightmare. Everything is fine." Wiping the sweat of her face, she looked towards the digital clock on the bedside table. It said 6.56 am. It was 4 minutes away from the time she had to wake up. Slipping on the green fury house slippers, she walked towards the toilet. She had to wash up and get ready. She was meeting Athrun and Cagalli today. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she wondered why she was still here. Her parents are now back together. She had accomplished her mission hadn't she? She thought about her nightmare, could it be the reason why she was still here? No, as much as she disliked Meyrin, Ashley knew that she was a nice girl and that she will not do anything bad. She then wondered about her mother. How long can she keep her secret from her? Going into the shower, Ashley relaxed as the hot water unknotted her tight muscles.

… …

Athrun and Ashley were now in the Orb mansion. Cagalli had insisted on making lunch; she had suddenly developed an interest for cooking. It was Cagalli's first time and Athrun would be her guinea pig while Ashley would be her assistant.

Heading towards the east wing kitchen, Athrun whispered to Ashley, "Is she any good at this?"

"Well, her cooking did improve over the years," Ashley said matter-of-factly.

Athrun gulped, his future with Cagalli doesn't seem so bright anymore.

Staring at her father's scared face, Ashley laughed. "Her cooking is not that bad! Umm…Unique would be a good word for it." Cagalli did have a unique taste for food. Looking back at the old times, Ashley actually missed her mother's cooking, those oddly tasting curry… those spicy chocolate deserts… Cagalli had a knack for combining different ingredients, resulting in a very unusual concoction.

The luxurious maple kitchen was beyond amazing. It had a breathtaking view, over looking the east wing garden. Cagalli was over by the smooth granite counters, holding a fish by its tail, debating what to do with it.

"Umm… are you sure about this Cagalli?" said Athrun in a worried tone.

"Of course I'm sure!" Cagalli snapped back. "Lacus taught me how to cook this last month!"

One month was an awfully long time, fearing for his life, he turned to Ashley and whispered, "Please tell me you can do some damage control!"

"This is my first time too… Don't worry! I'm sure it'll be… errr, edible," Ashley replied ruefully, feeling sorry for her father.

Wasting no time, the two blondes got started. Athrun was at the far end of the kitchen, leaning on the glass wall, a smirk was plastered on his face. It was amusing to watch them when he did not think about what lied ahead for him. Anyone could tell that that the blondes were clearly not meant to be in the kitchen. Any interaction between them and the kitchen would result in disastrous consequences.

"Ok, let me see… Lacus told me that I have to season the fish first. Right. So let's add in some salt and pepper!"

After what seemed like ages to Athrun, Cagalli and Ashley managed to season the fish. Rummaging through the kitchen cabinets, Cagalli took out a frying pan. Pointing to the wok, Ashley suggested, "Can we use that giant black bowl with a handle instead? It looks safer."

Picking the fish up by its tail, as if it would come back to life and bite, Ashley dropped it into the wok. "It doesn't seem to be cooking," Ashley pointed out.

"That's because we forgot to turn on the stove!" Cagalli exclaimed as if she suddenly made a fine discovery.

"You two forgot about the oil too," Athrun interrupted as he covered his mouth in an attempt to stop himself from laughing, but he failed miserably.

Deciding to deal with him later, Cagalli ignored him. Loud sizzling noises and smoke were coming from the wok. Being scared of it, Ashley stood a metre away from the stove, only stretching her hands out to tip some oil into the wok. In her haste to get it over and done with, Ashley miscalculated and poured oil directly into the stove.

Suddenly, the whole stove was engulfed in flames. Screaming, the two blondes jumped back, hugging each other in fright. It was only then that the sprinklers were activated, drenching the entire kitchen.

The kitchen was ruined and so was the fish. The fish was hardly recognisable; it looked like a flattened elephant dropping.

In the end, the family of three went to the west wing kitchen and made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Sitting down by the swan lake under the willow tree in the west wing garden, the trio looked into the sunset; all the colours were so beautiful, yellow, orange, pink and finally purple. They enjoyed the warmth of the sunset together, just like how a real family would.

… …

**Many months later…**

Cagalli was at the orphanage kitchen pouring some tea from the porcelain pot. Everyone was staying there for the weekend. The girls were out in the garden playing with the children while the guys were out buying dinner. As she rubbed her large pregnant belly that hung like sack of potatoes, she noticed some quick movements around her. Before she knew it, everything went black…

**To be continued…**

Ok. I thought it'll be fun to see what happens if Cagalli and Ashley were to cook. I have no idea how the wedding vows are like so I roughly wrote one based on the movies I saw. I hope I'm not too far off from the actual one. I am planning to write an actual wedding scene between Athrun and Cagalli for this story but it'll be in the next chapter. I'll see how I can fit it in first. What happened during the months will also be explained in the next chapter. I wanted to write it here but I think putting it in the next chapter will be better. I'll be updating again hopefully in a week's time. Thanks for taking the time out to read and review!


	7. Chapter 7

Thank you so much for reviewing! It took me exactly a week! Sorry! I hope you haven't given up on this story! If you want to read on how Athrun proposed to Cagalli, read 'The Proposal'. I wrote it under as one-shot. Please continue to review!

Note: words in italics here is what happened in between the time shift

Dedicationsin alphabetical order**: a reader, Byron Lancaster, CagsZala, Dhevz, UnderProtection**

Chapter 7

Cagalli was in dream land. Right now, dreaming was the only way her unborn child and her could be safe from the horrors that awaits them when she wakes up. She dreamt about the happiest day of her life, their wedding day.

_It was a spring wedding; little birds were chirping, flowers of myriad of colours were in full bloom, and butterflies were prancing around the flora. The wedding was held at the west wing garden among the lush greenery and the crystal lake._

_It was a grand affair. Leaders from all over the Plants and the earth came for this special union. Among the other guests were of course their friends and the crew members of the Arc Angel, the Eternal and the Minerva._

_Cobblestones paved the way to the white pavilion where Athrun, clad in a smart white suit, waited anxiously for his bride. The guests were seated in neatly arranged satin-draped chairs and the towering trees that rose up like giant pillars provided a cool shade for them._

_To make way for the wedding set-up, the grand piano was temporarily moved to the side. As Ashley began playing the familiar tune of the wedding march, all eyes turned to the back where Cagalli graced down the aisle, escorted by her dear twin brother Kira._

_Cagalli's blonde hair was tied up and adorned with delicate white lilies. She wore a simple and elegant strapless wedding dress that was tinted with gold. _

"_Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…" the priest began._

_Alas! It was now time for Ashley's nerve-breaking moment, which was after the exchanging of the vows. She had hoped and prayed that her dream will not come true. She had been very meticulous that day especially with the security. She took no chances in anyone bringing a weapon into the mansion. Just to make certain, she casted her eyes on Meyrin and readied herself. She was going to pounce on Meyrin should the latter do anything suspicious._

_The priest announced, "Is there anyone here who objects to this union? Speak now or forever hold your peace."_

_Ashley held her breath. No one stood up._

"_You may now kiss the bride."_

_Looking at his emerald eyes, Athrun looked like he was about to tear as he bent his head towards Cagalli. She threw her arms -bouquet and all- around Athrun as they kissed passionately._

_The crowd erupted into applause and everyone wiped their tears of joy. Dearka shouted, "We are going to see little Athruns and Cagallis running around soon!" Everyone laughed. Shaking his head and putting his arms around his wife, Athrun declared, "Everyone, this is my wife, Cagalli." The blushing bride then threw her bouquet and Lacus caught it._

Slowly waking up, Cagalli found herself lying down on a mattress in an old abandoned warehouse. Her left wrist was cuffed onto a pipe. Somehow, though with great difficulty due to her huge bulging stomach, she managed to sit upright. It was then when she noticed she was not alone in the room.

Ashley was beside her, unconscious, with both hands cuffed to another pipe.

"Ashley, sweetie, Ashley!" Cagalli called out in a worried tone.

"Don't worry. She's only been drugged. She'll wake up soon." a shrilly and sinister laughter echoed through the giant warehouse.

"That voice," Cagalli said aloud, shocked. She recognised that voice.

"Hello Cagalli. It took you quite a while to wake up." From the shadows, the owner of the voice finally made her appearance.

"Meyrin?" Cagalli was seething with anger and confusion. "What do you want?"

"You!" Meyrin replied with venom in her voice.

"But why? If you only want me, why did you take Ashley along? Let her go, please. The girl's innocent."

Just then, Ashley moaned. She was starting to wake up. The blur memories of last night slowly flooded into her head.

_Ashley walked outside to the balcony to breathe in some cool fresh air. Just like her father, she liked to spend some quite moments alone to think. She thought about why she was still there when everything was perfect._

"_Ashley, Cagalli made some tea and asked me to bring them out for everyone to drink. Would you like some?" Meyrin said as she walked into the balcony, carrying a tray of tea._

"_Yea sure, thank you," Ashley replied as she reached out to grab a cup. Taking a few sips, she savoured on the bitter sweetness that lingered in her mouth. Suddenly, she felt dizzy. Her vision was blurring and she felt as if the whole world was spinning. It wasn't long before darkness engulfed her, but not before she caught sight of a grin on Meyrin's face._

Snapping her eyes open, Ashley jolted up right but was stopped halfway by the cuffs that chained her down. Glaring at the woman who did this to her and her mother, she cursed to herself, "Damn it! What now? It can't end this way!"

**Meanwhile at the orphanage…**

Athrun was frantically pacing up and down the living room. "Where could they be? The car is gone! They should have known better than to go out now ESPECIALLY when Cagalli is DUE anytime soon! Did anyone answer the phone yet? Do you think something happened to them?" panicked Athrun.

"Calm down Athrun, I'm sure they'll be fine. Besides, Ashley's with them, so you shouldn't worry too much," Kira assured him.

Just then, Lacus put down the phone. "No one's picking up. Why don't you just check the GPS? I'm sure it'll tell us where they went." Lacus suggested.

In all the panic and mayhem, everyone forgot about the tracking system that was installed in the car in case of emergencies like this one.

"Yea good thinking Lacus," Kira said as he stood up and walked over to assist Athrun.

"This is not good Kira. The GPS said they are off town in some deserted area. Damn it! Something must have happened to them! We've got to go, NOW!" Athrun said.

"Hold on Athrun, don't you think we need a plan?" Shinn interjected. For once, Shinn was being calm and collected; he was not as impulsive as he was before.

"Yes, we'll think of one in the car. Girls, stay here ok," Kira said as he made his way to the car, Athrun a few metres ahead of him with Shinn following suit.

**Back at the warehouse…**

Meyrin was laughing. She was laughing so creepily that it sent chills down the spines of Ashley and Cagalli. Pointing at Ashley, she accused, "How could you not have known? For crying out loud, she has your hair and his eyes!"

At first, confusion covered Cagalli's face. However it wasn't long before realisation dawned on her. It hit her like a tsunami; it was quick and powerful. She was rendered speechless for five minutes; her eyes wide open in shock. Looking at the figure beside her, she saw the guilt-ridden face of Ashley.

**To be continued…**

Ok. I hope you like this chapter. I'll post the next chapter which is probably the last one by next week! I should be faster now since I have free time. Please review! Thank you!


	8. Chapter 8

Thank you so much for your constant reviews! I really felt that your comments helped me improve. Thank you! This is the last chapter, but there's a really really short epilogue after this! I'm not really good at writing action stuff so there isn't much of it here. I feel that this is rather jumbled up but I'm not sure how to improve it. Hopefully you are not disappointed. And ignore my grammatical mistakes. Thank you! Please review!

Dedicationsin alphabetical order**: a reader, Byron Lancaster, CagsZala, Dhevz, Hakumeyen, Sakurayamato1, UnderProtection**

_Previously on chapter 7…_

_Meyrin was laughing. She was laughing so creepily that it sent chills down the spines of Ashley and Cagalli. Pointing at Ashley, she accused, "How could you not have known? For crying out loud, she has your hair and his eyes!"_

_At first, confusion covered Cagalli's face. However it wasn't long before realisation dawned on her. It hit her like a tsunami; it was quick and powerful. She was rendered speechless for five minutes; her eyes wide open in shock. Looking at the figure beside her, she saw the guilt-ridden face of Ashley._

Chapter 8

**Outside …**

Athrun and Kira were taking cover in the vast forest just beside the warehouse when Shinn came back with information, "There are no other cars apart from Cagalli's and there's no one guarding the area too."

"Meaning only one or two did this." Kira said.

"He or they must be highly skilled too if they managed to capture them without the notice of the others," Athrun added.

The three then quietly inched their way closer to the warehouse. Placing their ears on the thin metal wall that separated them from the girls, they listened to pick up any clues that might help.

**Inside…**

Cagalli softened her expression on Ashley and asked, "So it's true?"

Ashley merely nodded her head in confirmation. She felt ashamed from keeping the truth from Cagalli but she had no choice. She already let it slip once, she couldn't risk it again.

Pulling Ashley into an embrace with one arm, though it was an awkward one due to their positions, Cagalli stroked Ashley's long silky golden hair, "Its alright dear, I'm sure you had your reasons."

Ashley stared in surprise. She had not expected this reaction. Unable to return the hug due to her chained hands, she just rested her head on Cagalli's shoulders and let herself be soothed by her mother. She had been stuck in the past for more than a year now and she missed her mother's warm embrace terribly.

"Aww, what a sweet reunion, you better cherish this moment now because it'll be your last!" Meyrin smiled evilly as she raised her gun at them.

Cagalli wrapped her free arm around Ashley protectively and held her tighter as Meyrin approached them.

Bending forward, she pinched Ashley on the cheek. Meyrin said amused, "My my, you really are quite a beauty. A pity your life is going to end here."

"Keep your filthy paws of her!" Cagalli growled as she slapped Meyrin's hand of Ashley.

"Ooo, very protective aren't you considering that you just found out today that she's your daughter." Meyrin laughed.

"You won't get away with this you know," Cagalli warned.

"You are wrong, because I will. After I kill you both, I will go back and pretend that I was lucky enough to escape. They will believe me," Meyrin retorted.

**Outside…**

"No, it can't be! Meyrin! Why?" The three boys said aloud in unison.

**Inside…**

The voices of the boys were clearly heard inside. Meyrin knew it was too late for her. Athrun had found out about what she had done and she knew that she wouldn't be forgiven. She quickly released Ashley from the cuffs. She pointed the gun to Ashley's head and wounding her arm around Ashley's neck, she dragged Ashley out of the warehouse.

"I know you guys are out there. Come out now and don't you dare do anything funny. Otherwise, I will kill Ashley! I have a gun at her head now!" Meyrin called out.

Having no choice and not willing to take any risks, the three boys showed total obedience as they appeared and did what she said.

"Drop your weapons!" she commanded.

Meyrin heard the sound of the metallic guns as they clattered onto the ground defeated. She then walked out to meet them with Ashley at her mercy.

Athrun was the first to speak. He sounded desperate. "Meyrin please, let them go!"

"Why her? Why can't it be me?" Meyrin screamed as her tears started to drop. Her grip on Ashley's neck was getting tighter. And Ashley knew she had to do something.

Athrun tried to stay calm. He was screaming inside his head and thinking desperately what to do to save his family. He watched his daughter choke to Meyrin's suffocating grasp. "Please let Ashley go, you are choking her," Athrun pleaded again.

"No! You are going to know how it feels like to be hurt!" Meyrin cried.

All of a sudden, Ashley brought her left leg upwards and kicked the gun out of Meyrin's hand. Stunned at what happened, Meyrin's grip on Ashley loosened momentarily and Ashley made use of that opportunity to slip out of her captor's fingers. Taking a few steps away from Meyrin, Ashley spun back like a ballerina and landed a critical kick which knocked Meyrin onto the ground. Ashley then leaped up into the air and landed gracefully as she retrieved the gun.

"Unfortunately for you witch, you picked the wrong hostage!" Ashley said smugly as she pointed the gun at Meyrin who raised her hands up to surrender.

Mean while, the jaws of the boys were dropped in surprise. They didn't know what Ashley was capable of.

Right after Ashley took hold of Meyrin, Athrun ran bullet speed to Cagalli, with Kira following behind him. Both young men were beyond impatient.

Athrun's heart sank as he saw Cagalli chained up like prisoner. He did not like the way she was treated. Anger rose up as he snatched the keys from Meyrin. It took all of his self control not to kill her then and there. His hands were all over Cagalli as soon as he freed her. He checked to see if she was injured. After he was certain she was alright, he pulled her into his arms and their lips met.

"Ahem!" Kira faked a coughed.

The couple turned to him as he pointed to Meyrin, "Umm, what are we going to do with her?"

"Well, the kidnapping and the attempted murder of the Head Representative and the Princess of Orb is an extremely grave offence that calls for a death penalty..." Ashley stated.

"I don't care what happens to her but if she comes near my family again, I will kill her myself," Athrun said coldly. He now felt nothing but hatred and anger towards Meyrin. He could not forgive her for what she had done.

"Wait, what about Luna? This will be a big blow to her!" Shinn suddenly spoke up.

"But we can't just leave her! She tried to harm my sister and my niece!" Kira replied.

"I agree," Ashley supported.

And they all started to argue what to do with Meyrin.

"Guys… hey guys…GUYS!" Everyone turned their heads to Cagalli as she raised her voice.

"I think my water bag's burst," Cagalli panicked as she winced in pain.

"What?"

"Are you sure?"

"Oh my gosh!"

"What do we do now?"

"Oh no!"

"It's the end of the world!"

All hell broke loose the moment Cagalli announced that she was going into labour. All of the boys were panicking, they couldn't think straight.

"EVERYONE CALM YOUR FREAKING SELVES RIGHT NOW!" Ashley commanded with a ring of authority in her voice. "We have to get our acts together. So here's what we're going to do. Daddy, YOU take mom to the hospital NOW. The rest of us will stay here and clean up this mess. Now go!"

Athrun lifted Cagalli into his arms, much to her protest of her able to walk by herself, and dashed off to the car.

They watched the nerve-wrecked couple make their leave.

"So what now?" Shinn asked.

"We should hand her over to the authorities. I can't just let this pass no matter how she helped us in the past," Kira replied. "Hold on, where is she?"

"Uncle Kira! Watch out!" Ashley screamed as she lunged forward and took the bullet. Immediately, Shinn jumped in and shot Meyrin and she thudded onto the ground, a pool of blood forming around her lifeless body.

Trudging backwards, Ashley fell into the arms of her uncle. The ground was now covered in that same crimson that covered her chest. She was bleeding profusely.

"Ashley, stay with me ok, stay with me! Don't give in! Please!" Kira said as tears steamed down his face.

As the seconds passed, Ashley found it harder and harder to breath. Her vision was now failing her; everything now was in a blur. Turning her pale face to look at her uncle, she smiled as she tried to speak, "T…take c...care of mom a…and d…dad for me o...ok?"

Kira could only nod his head; he was unable to find his voice.

Coughing out blood, Ashley breathed her last and then, she faded…

There were no traces of Ashley left. Her blood which once covered Kira's arms were now gone. There was no evidence of her existence anymore.

Kira cried really hard which was something he had not done in a long time. Shinn quietly stood by his side, tears dropping down his ruby eyes.

**At the same time in the hospital…**

A baby girl cried as she entered the world. The baby immediately stopped crying once she was handed over to her mother. As he wound his arms around his wife, Athrun whispered affectionately to his new-born daughter, "Welcome into the world, Ashley."

… …

"Hey you guys are finally here! Where's Ashley? She would probably want to see her baby self," Athrun said excitedly as the whole gang came into Cagalli's hospital ward.

Athrun and Cagalli were so happy that they didn't notice Kira's red and puffy eyes.

"She's gone. She took a bullet for me." Kira continued, "I wasn't careful. Meyrin took advantage of that and…"

At this moment, the whole room was still. Everyone stared at Athrun and Cagalli to see their reactions.

Cagalli's face was unreadable, it was blank. Athrun on the other hand was a mixture of grief and anger.

"Where is she," his voice seething with pain and anger.

"WHERE IS SHE?" Athrun yelled this time when no one answered.

"Who are you referring to? Ashley or Meyrin?" Kira asked.

"Both."

"Ashley, she… her body just disappeared. As for Meyrin, she…"

"She's dead. I shot her." Shinn cut Kira off.

"Enough!" Lacus said. "Meyrin's gone. We shouldn't talk bad about the dead. As for Ashley…"

"She's not gone," Cagalli suddenly said as she gazed down on the baby cradled in her arms. "She has never left us…"

_**The end…**_

Ok, some of you may wonder how Ashley was born so fast when it seemed like it was just a moment ago that Athrun and Cagalli left for the hospital. So you can just ignore that tiny little detail there. And I know Athrun is probably OOC here but this is the way I wanted it to be. This is the last chapter though there is a very short epilogue after this! I hope I didn't drag the story too much! I hope the ending wasn't abrupt, I realised that I'm not really good with the endings. Please review and tell me what you think! Thank you!


	9. Chapter 9: Epilogue

Epilogue

"Ashley Zala! Get down from there NOW!" Cagalli yelled.

"Oh fine! Mummy, you are always ruining my fun!"

The feisty four year old blonde girl jumped of from the tree branch where she sat. Cagalli caught her mid air and twirled her around.

"You have been misbehaving my dear princess!" Cagalli chided her playfully.

The little girl giggled and ran off to the lake, taking with her the bread that her mother gave her.

Watching her daughter from a far, she suddenly felt strong warm arm encircling her waist.

"Athrun," she whispered.

They watched their daughter stroke the snow white feathers of the swans before she broke up the bread and scattered it on the lake.

"Do you think…? Is this the future Ashley's suppose to have?" Cagalli suddenly asked, catching Athrun off guard.

It was a while before Athrun answered. "It doesn't matter does it? Since she's happy, since we're all happy?"

Cagalli smiled back, "I guess it doesn't. I love you Athrun."

"I love you too Cagalli."

_**End**_

So what do you think? It's really short. I might write a sequel or maybe one-shots for this story, depends if I have ideas. I have an extremely long way to go before I can become a good writer… Hopefully my subsequent stories will be much better.


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